Honoring Muhammad and Lonnie Ali’s Vision 25 Years Later
Dear Friend,
My late husband, Muhammad Ali, was known as “The Greatest,” and he really was.
When Muhammad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, I knew he would fight it with the same strength, courage, and determination that he brought with him every single time he stepped into the ring.
What I didn’t expect was the magic that would happen when he met Abraham Lieberman, MD, of Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Lieberman was Muhammad’s dear and trusted friend. Their connection and desire to help other patients with Parkinson’s led to the 1997 founding of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute.
From the outset, Muhammad and I had a shared vision of building the greatest Parkinson’s center in the world, to help those in need of it most. To be worthy of Muhammad’s name, the Center would have to work to provide all of its patients with the same expert and compassionate care that was given to Muhammad throughout his battle with Parkinson’s.
Barrow has gone above and beyond in fulfilling this mission.
Today, 25 years later, the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center is one of the largest and most active Parkinson’s facilities in the country, helping thousands of patients each year. There is truly nowhere like it in the world.
It’s more than just the building and patient programs, however, that make the Center an example of Muhammad’s spirit. It’s all the incredible doctors, nurses, therapists, and support staff who are dedicated to providing all patients with the best possible care. They care for patients in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity, independence, and quality of life while battling this disease. They are also the ones who reassure both patients and caregivers they have someone by their side fighting for them and they will never be alone in this journey.
That is the lasting impact of Muhammad’s legacy.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, I ask you to join me and make a tax-deductible donation to support the important work of the Center. Your gift will be used to continue the incredible legacy of my husband and to make sure that all patients with Parkinson’s receive the care they need and deserve.
Muhammad was proud to lend his name to the Center when it opened, and I know he would be proud of where it is now. Your generous support will continue this important part of my husband’s legacy. He will forever be “The Greatest.” For that, I thank you.
Gratefully,
Lonnie Ali